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Cloth Seal, Swedish, Customs Seal

Cloth Seal, Swedish, Customs Seal, Image & Found by Daniil Galitski.
Found in South Sweden, ?mm.

Head facing right // crowned letters, inscription around

From Paul Cannon, "I have just found 3 more examples of this general type of seal. Two of these are in a museum’s collection and provide the suggestion that the particular seals marked ‘Packhus’ relate to the Swedish monarch’s attempt to promote/protect the Swedish cloth industry (see below) which began in regulations of 1739 and lasted into the 19th century. To this extent they could be described as cloth seals but from one surviving example below, it is attached to a paper document.

Most of the six seals have features in common:

· Swedish emblems, Swedish crown or group of three crowns

· Distinctive Royal busts which can be matched to those on Swedish coins

· Name of Swedish ports: Gothenburg and Helsingborg

· A particular fixing with two holes through the face of the seal

· The inscription for ‘Packhus Stempel’ or an abbreviation

· The inscription for ‘Tull Stempel’ (on one seal)

I wonder if Daniil’s seal (below) from South Sweden can be reconstructed as (from 12 o’clock): [GI?]OTHEBORG[S] [P]ACK[H]U[S] [STEMPEL]. I am really not clear about the significance or meaning of the letters in the centre of the seal yet. The letters are quite chunky in places and probably poorly struck. With the eye of faith I believe I can make out some of the lower parts of the words ‘Stempel’.

TullMuseum, Blyplomber från 1800-talet
The inscription reads “1831 / GÖTHE / BORGS / PACKHUS”. The Swedish text describing the seal translates (using Google Translate) as, “In the 18th century, a ban was imposed on bringing in many textiles. The reason for the intentional ban was that Gustaf III would try to get the Swedish textile industry up and running. In 1739 a regulation was issued which stipulated that fabrics which were tendered but which had been filed prior to the ban should be stamped with a customs stamp. For a large part of the 1700s and 1800s, domestic and imported textiles were stamped. During the 19th century, poster posters were used. The letter (3) is issued by Helsingborgs Packhus in 1825. It is supplied with both lead plum and color stamp. Fragile fabrics stained.”

To see the image correct way up, turn upside down. Seal reads ‘1825 / HELSING / BORGS / PACKHUS / STEMP. The seal is still attached to a document it was placed with and is also dated 1825. The Swedish text accompanying this item translates in a similar way, “In the 18th century, a ban was imposed on bringing in many textiles. The reason for the intentional ban was that Gustaf III would try to get the Swedish textile industry up and running. In 1739 a regulation was issued which stipulated that fabrics which were tendered but which had been filed prior to the ban should be stamped with a customs stamp. For a large part of the 1700s and 1800s, domestic and imported textiles were stamped. A lead plunger (1) should be stuck in the fabric with a thread. The few fabrics that may be entered must be stamped in conjunction with a so-called item inspection. The plum (2) is stamped "1831 Götheborgs Packhus"

En blyplomb för märkning av varor med stämpel ”Götheborgs packhus” antyder en närhet till marknadsplatsen, [see page 157],
This archaeological publication illustrates the sixth seal of this general type. It has the Royal bust and Swedish symbols and same type of fixing but instead of ‘Packhus Stempel’ the inscription contains ‘Tull Stempel’. The author records the inscription as “1739 / TULL / STEMPEL / TIL FÖRDT / INKOMNE / WAHROR”. The actual seal is also recorded in the Danish Metal Detecting website ‘DetectingPeople’ on 2 Sept 2008 Detecting People
Some of the Swedish is old style but seems to broadly translate as ‘Customs stamp, to ?forward incoming/?imported goods (varor)’.

The Swedish king in 1739 was Frederick I and in 1756 it was Adolf Frederick.